Left Photo: Portalets were set-up for the evacuees at the grandstand. Right photo: Nuridian Sampang, 60 and a mother of five says she is grateful that her children’s need was finally answered. Nuridian is among those who received ready-to-eat-food today.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that 9,500 hygiene kits containing bath soap, detergent, towel and a pail were distributed to evacuees at the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex (Grandstand) in Zamboanga City to ensure sanitation and cleanliness in the area.
Likewise, eating utensils and mats, blankets and ‘malong’ were given to the affected families brought about by the on-going armed conflict between the government troops and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) – Misuari faction.
The Secretary added that to date, 33 portalet units or portable toilets were set up at the grandstand complementing other existing toilet facilities in the area. Four more portalet units were put up at the Cawa-cawa boulevard for the Badjao families. The Zamboanga City Water district and the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) regularly supply potable water to the evacuees.
Meanwhile, Secretary Soliman cited that bayanihan spirit prevails in the evacuation center as local food providers and civil society organizations continue to provide meals for the evacuees. The Philippine National Red Cross provides 10,000 dinner packs nightly to augment ready-to-eat food packs from the community kitchen of the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) and different food service providers in the city.
The DSWD procured 20,000 packs of lunch and another 20,000 packs of dinner on September 18 from the Junior Chamber International (JCI). Some individuals and families also shared packed meals at the evacuation center.
As of September 20, 12 noon, 23,794 families or 118,819 persons were affected by the on-going standoff. There are 20,643 families or 111,162 persons staying in 57 evacuation centers.
Some 11,979 families composed of 71,265 persons are currently staying at the Joaquin F. Enriquez, Jr. Sports Complex, the biggest evacuation center.
To date, total cost of assistance provided to the affected families reached P37,778,615.00 from the combined resources of DSWD with P35,397,835.00, LGUs with P1,000,000.00 and NGOs and Civil Society with P1,380,780.00. ###
